Violence and Risk Assessments

Georgia Forensic Consulting provides violence and risk assessments to assist attorneys, courts, and other stakeholders in understanding an individual’s potential risk for future violent or aggressive behavior. These evaluations are often requested in criminal matters, bond determinations, sentencing mitigation, probation planning, workplace concerns, and other situations where the court or legal counsel would benefit from a structured analysis of violence risk.

Violence risk assessments focus on identifying factors that research has shown to be associated with an increased or decreased likelihood of future violence. This includes examining an individual’s history of violence or threats, behavioral patterns, substance use, mental health concerns, personality traits, environmental stressors, and protective factors that may reduce risk. The goal is not to predict the future with certainty, but to provide a structured and evidence-informed assessment of risk that can assist legal decision-makers.

Our evaluations may incorporate structured professional judgment and actuarial tools commonly used in forensic risk assessment, including instruments such as the Historical-Clinical-Risk Management-20 (HCR-20) and the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG) or Violence Risk Appraisal Guide–Revised (VRAG-R). These tools are widely used in forensic psychology and psychiatry to evaluate known risk factors for violence and to place an individual’s risk profile in the context of empirical research.

The evaluation process typically includes a clinical interview, review of relevant records when available, and structured analysis of historical, psychological, and situational factors associated with violence risk. The resulting report summarizes relevant background information, identifies risk and protective factors, and provides professional opinions regarding the individual’s level of violence risk as well as recommendations for risk management, treatment, or supervision when appropriate.

Violence risk assessments can be particularly useful when courts or attorneys need a clearer understanding of whether an individual presents a low, moderate, or elevated risk of future violent behavior, and what steps may reduce that risk. In many cases, these evaluations can help inform appropriate treatment recommendations, supervision strategies, or other interventions designed to promote safety and rehabilitation.